Best weapons in Starfield: Rifles, shotguns, melee, more

❘ Updated: 2023-09-14T07:05:00

an image of a character from Starfield shooting an enemy while elevated

Bethesda

Starfield offers a vast arsenal of weapons, but selecting the top choices for your interstellar journey is key. Here are our ultimate weapon picks for each class in Starfield.

In Bethesda’s expansive RPG Starfield, the universe is your playground, with numerous planets to discover. Each planet harbors a unique array of weaponry, from deadly firearms to lethal melee tools essential for your survival.

In this handy guide, we are going to address some of the best weapons you can find in Starfield. Our list will contain all types of guns like rifles, snipers, shotguns, and more. With that said, let’s have a look at the best weapons in Starfield.

Alternatively, if you’re wondering where to purchase weapons and gear early, how to mod weapons and equipment, how to use quick slots to easily switch weapons and items, or how to get more ammo, our guides have got you covered.

Best weapons in Starfield
Best Heavy Weapon in Starfield
Best Melee Weapon in Starfield
Best Pistol in Starfield
Best Rifle in Starfield
Best Shotgun in Starfield

With Quick Slots, players can easily cycle between weapons and other items.

Best weapons in Starfield

You can discover myriad weapons in Starfield, some of which are simply better than others. The weapons we mentioned below stand out from the rest. You can get them via character traits, completing quests, exploration, and purchasing from merchants.

Here are the best weapons in Starfield:

Heavy Weapon: Heller’s Cutter
Melee Weapons: Tanto, The Last Priest
Pistols: Razorback, Sir Livingston’s Pistol
Rifles: Beowulf, Eternity’s Gate, Unmitigated Violence
Shotguns: Experiment A-7, Shotty

Below, you can find the best weapons for each class in Starfield.

Best Heavy Weapon in Starfield: Heller’s Cutter

an image of the Heller’s Cutter in Starfield

The Heller’s Cutter is great against robotic enemies.

Heller’s Cutter is the best Heavy Weapon you can use in Starfield. Its damage output is pretty high with almost zero recoil, the firing rate is acceptable, and it’s a great choice against robots.

You can find the Heller’s Cutter during the Back to Vectera quest.

Here’s a quick look at its important stats:

Ammo Type	Damage	Fire Rate	Range	Accuracy	Damage Type	Magazine Size	Mass
Cutter	4	76	3	76.7%	Engy	9	4.00

Best Melee Weapon in Starfield: The Last Priest

an image of The Last Priest in Starfield

The Hunter rewards you with this melee weapon after completing the Infinity’s End side quest.

The Last Priest is the best melee weapon in the game. It’s a variant of the Va’Ruun Painblade and to get your hands on it, you’ll need to complete the Infinity’s End side quest. The Last Priest costs 20,268 Credits which makes it quite valuable and effective if you have a look at its stats below:

Ammo Type	Damage	Fire Rate	Range	Accuracy	Damage Type	Magazine Size	Mass
–	62	–	–	–	Phys	–	1.80

Best Pistol in Starfield: Sir Livingston’s Pistol

an image of Sir Livingstone's Pistol in Starfield

Sir Livingstone’s Pistol is a variant of the Old Earth Pistol.

Sir Livingstone’s Pistol is the best pistol in Starfield. It’s a lethal combination of accuracy, damage, and fire rate. To get this weapon, you’ll need to take the Kid Stuff trait and Strike a conversation with your father at The Lodge.

Here are the handgun’s stats:

Ammo Type	Damage	Fire Rate	Range	Accuracy	Damage Type	Magazine Size	Mass
.45 Caliber	28	67	24	69.2%	Phys	15	1.80

Best Rifle in Starfield: Beowulf

Beowulf comes in different variants in Starfield.

The best rifle you can use in Starfield is the Legendary Beowulf. It boasts a great combination of accuracy, damage, and clip size despite being a semi-automatic rifle.

Here are the stats of the rifle:

Ammo Type	Damage	Fire Rate	Range	Accuracy	Damage Type	Magazine Size	Mass
7.77x37mm Caseless	36	50	40	69.1%	Phys	30	2.00

Best Shotgun in Starfield: Experiment A-7

an image of the Experiment A-7 in Starfield

Experiment A-7 is a Breach shotgun variant.

The Experiment A-7‘s ability to deal a ton of damage makes it the best shotgun in Starfield. You can get this gun during the Entagled main quest. Below, you can find the stats of the shotgun in the game:

Ammo Type	Damage	Fire Rate	Range	Accuracy	Damage Type	Magazine Size	Mass
15×25 CLL Shotgun Shell	119	10	20	50.6%	Phys	6	6.90

So, there you have it — that’s a rundown of some of the best weapons to use in Starfield. For more about the game, be sure to check our other content and guides: